: a pinnacle, sharp ridge, or block of ice among the crevasses of a glacier
Examples of serac in a Sentence
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This year's Everest climbing season began late because of the risk from a huge serac hanging over the key route to the summit.—CBS News, 22 May 2026 This year’s climbing season began later than usual after a large serac temporarily blocked the main route, delaying teams at base camp until the path was cleared, CNN reported.—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 21 May 2026 But for more than two weeks, a massive and unstable block of ice, or serac, stalled them from moving farther up the peak.—Pasang Rinzee Sherpa, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 There’s good reason for caution: seracs have caused fatal disasters in the past.—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026 In 2022, 11 people died when a massive serac on the Marmolada Glacier disintegrated, showering a group of hikers with ice and rock.—Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 16 Aug. 2025
Word History
Etymology
French sérac, literally, a kind of white cheese, from Medieval Latin seracium whey, from Latin serum whey — more at serum